SUD Considers Water Loss, Drought Policy and Dimmick Contract

by Leslie Lytle Messenger Staff Writer
At the June 25 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, SUD manager Ben Beavers offered new insight into the possible causes of SUD’s high unaccounted-for water loss. The board also discussed options for amending its contract with the University that allows SUD to withdraw water from Lake Dimmick in a drought emergency.
Unaccounted-for water loss is the difference between the amount of treated water SUD produces and the amount accounted for in metered sales. SUD’s water loss year-to-date is 28.7 percent. To address water loss from aging inaccurate meters SUD will replace all customer meters, which, according to Beavers, should account for about one-fifth of the loss.
Responding to a suggestion from a water-loss audit, Beavers checked the metering of water leaving the plant. SUD had been monitoring the output during the production process;this method includes water used to clean the skids which is later discarded. Monitoring the output externally as the water left the plant showed a 4,700-gallon difference in one day.
Beavers next plans to investigate sources of unauthorized consumption, such as fire service lines feeding sprinklers that are flushed in routine maintenance; not all fire service lines are metered, pointing to another unaccounted-for water-loss source. Beavers said that water used by the fire department also needed to be more efficiently monitored.
In July, Beavers will attend a conference on unaccounted-for water loss in Louisville, Ky., and hopes to learn other remedies specific to SUD’s situation.
The Lake Dimmick contract discussion at the May meeting led the board to ask Beavers to consult with SUD attorney Don Scholes. By the provisions of the contract, SUD pays the University $10,000 annually for access to Lake Dimmick in a drought emergency. Scholes questioned the value SUD was getting for its money. The board discussed whether SUD has an obligation to help maintain the lake since the University is SUD’s biggest customer, and it seemed unlikely the University would deny SUD use of the lake in an emergency.
Commissioner Randall Henley pointed out that the University needs to maintain the lake regardless. Beavers suggested two options: one, terminate the agreement; two, modify the agreement eliminating the $10,000 annual fee, but leaving in place the per-gallon use charge. Beavers also suggested that if the $10,000 fee was eliminated the University could be given a break on the rate increase assessed to all customers in extreme drought.
On a related topic, Scholes recommended SUD revisit its drought policy. By the policy, hotels and restaurants are among the businesses whose water is cut off during an extreme drought. Scholes said that as the policy currently reads, the University dormitories could be classified as hotels and McClurg Dining Hall could be considered a restaurant.
The board will revisit the Dimmick contract and drought policy at the next meeting on July 23.
Commissioner Henley asked that the board also review the backflow prevention device policy for commercial establishments in July.
On the suggestion of the college students who did the Constructed Wetlands Study, Beavers is taking measures to enhance public outreach. Plans call for a Twitter account for day-to-day communications and a SUD blog for weekly updates and information. Beavers has received many questions about the proposed constructed wetlands. SUD will also maintain a Facebook page to direct users to the Twitter account and blog for more information. The SUD website will continue to be the primary source for policy and static information, such as rates.

Council Gets Updates on Market and Speeding

At the June 24 meeting, the Sewanee Community Council received an update on the future of the Sewanee Market and on the Police Department’s efforts to reduce speeding on Hwy. 41A. The council also discussed a commitment on behalf of the Lease Committee to reduce the transfer fee.
Speaking on behalf of the University, Frank Gladu, vice president for administrative services, informed the council of the ongoing search for a new operator for the Sewanee Market. The current operators are experiencing difficulties, Gladu said, and no longer want to manage the business.
The new operator would be responsible for providing refrigerators and freezers. The operator would be offered a contract for at least two years or until construction of the roundabout on Highway 41A called for in the Campus Master Plan.
The Master Plan also calls for an independently owned, grocery-type facility in the downtown area. Gladu said several individuals had expressed an interest in operating the Sewanee Market for the next two years.

Police Chief Marie Eldridge addressed concerns about speeding on Highway 41-A. When public school is in session, there is an officer on duty there in the morning and afternoon, Chief Eldridge said, but speed monitoring is more “relaxed” during the summer months. 

The speed trailer, which shows drivers their current speed, is occasionally placed on Highway 41-A. The typical excess speed there is 38–41 mph, she said. A resident suggested parking an unoccupied patrol car at the side of the road. A council member suggested purchasing an additional trailer, but Eldridge said it would cost $5,000–$6,000, and the money would be better spent on a permanent monitoring device.

Council representative Drew Sampson noted that several years ago the University said it would consider lowering the transfer fee assessed when an individual sold their home; the current fee is 1 percent of the value of the home. The council will review past meeting minutes to determine what was proposed and then refer the subject to the Lease Committee.

The next meeting of the Community Council is scheduled for August 23. The Council does not meet in July.

Camp Discover Hosts Second Event

Children from Tracy City Elementary School, along with their families and community members, gathered at the South Cumberland State Park Visitor’s Center on June 14 to celebrate the end of the second annual Camp Discover, a two-week summer program for schoolchildren in grades 1–6. Students explored the region, participated in literacy activities and engaged in experiences designed to inspire questions and celebrate the community’s history.
More than 75 students participated and visited sites such as the Dutch Maid Bakery, the Silverbait Worm Farm, Beersheba Springs Assembly and the Coal Miner’s Museum. Campers in grades 1–3 learned photography from Pradip Malde, a professor at the University of the South, and older campers completed a Junior Ranger curriculum with support from the South Cumberland State Park, Sewanee’s Environmental Studies Program and the Friends of the South Cumberland. All students read books to build community connections through literacy, including, for the younger group, “Dad’s Railroad: The Mountain Goat” by Mary Priestley and, for the older campers, “My Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George.
Camp Discover is a partnership between Yale Child Study Center, Scholastic, Inc., Tracy City Elementary and the University of the South. The University Dining Services and Morton Memorial Methodist Church volunteers provided food for each day of camp. Mountain T.O.P. also helped support the event.

Coe Writes 14th Novel “Thieves’ Quarry” Out on July 2

Imagine Sam Spade meets Samuel Adams in Boston during the late-1760s and you have a glimpse into “Thieves’ Quarry,” the latest novel by D.B. Jackson, better known in Sewanee as David B. Coe.
Coe, who has written 14 books in the past 16 years, has a Ph.D. in U.S. history. The new novel, the second in a series, is a timely blend of two of his interests.
“When I left academia, I needed a clean break,” Coe said in a recent interview. “So I wrote fantasy, a genre I love. This new project allows me to play with history and feed my passion for writing fiction.”
“Thieves’ Quarry” takes place in 1768, as the British occupation of Boston begins. The volumes of the Thieftaker Chronicles follow the adventures of Ethan Kaille, a conjurer and thieftaker living in colonial Boston. Each book in the series is a murder-mystery set against the backdrop of a significant historical event in the years leading up to the American Revolution.
Booklist has said the book is “at once a gripping historical mystery and an inventive urban-style fantasy.”
Coe described Kaille as the “most compelling and complex” character he’s written yet.
“He is not a typical hero. He is older, scarred and broken in a lot of ways,” Coe said, “yet he struggles to be whole.”

If he were casting a movie star to play Kaille, Coe said he’d want Mark Wahlberg in the part.

Kaille’s nemesis in “Thieves’ Quarry” is Sephira Pryce, a rival thieftaker based on a historical figure. In Coe’s world, however, this thieftaker is a strong, sexy, fearless woman. Blending the real and the fantastic, as he does with this character, allows him to weave together the disparate threads of his professional life. 

“Urban fantasy has magical elements, but is set in real cities so it has a gritty, realistic feel to it. It has a noirish voice, even with the colonial American vernacular,” he said.

Shifting to a new genre has meant adopting a new pen name for this series. 

“David B. Coe writes epic fantasy set in alternate worlds with a variety of points of view,” he said. “D. B. Jackson writes historical fantasy with a single point of view.”

The author name change helps the reader know what to expect, he said. “Author branding is not as painful as it sounds,” he joked.

“Thieves’ Quarry” will be released on July 2 in hardcover and as an e-book; both will be available wherever books are sold. It is published by Tor Books, a division of Macmillan Publishers.

Coe will have a book signing for “Thieves’ Quarry” 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., Thursday, July 4, at the University Book and Supply Store.

The first book in this series, “Thieftaker,” will be released in paperback on July 2. In addition to many fine reviews, Thieftaker was named “Best First Book in a Series” for 2012 by the Word Nerds and was listed as one of the best Science Fiction/Fantasy books of the year by SciFiChick.com.

Coe is best known for his fantasy fiction, including “Children of Amarid” and “The Outlanders,” the first two novels of the LonTobyn Chronicle, which won the William L. Crawford Fantasy Award as the best fantasy by a first-time author.

—Reported by Laura Willis

Hike to a Concert

The Sewanee Summer Music Festival will be hosting a special performance at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 3, at the new golf course in Sewanee. The concert will be held next to the number five green, better known as The Edge, which is named for its distinct drop-off and dramatic views off the bluff behind the green.
A hike, led by the Sewanee Outing Program, will begin at 4 p.m. and traverse the University of the South hiking trails, ending directly at The Edge for concert time. A bike ride, led by Woody Deutsch from Woody’s Bicycles, will start at 4 p.m. and will take participants around the Sewanee campus to key highlights, including the Cross, Green’s View, the Chapel of the Apostles and others, before ending at the golf course. Bike rentals are $15 if you cannot bring your own. For both the hike and the bike ride, meet at The Course in Sewanee. To reserve a spot for the hike or the bike ride, go to <www.sewaneemusicfestival.org/hike>.
People attending the concert are encouraged to bring picnic items and blankets. This concert event is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Monteagle Inn & Retreat Center.

More Events Announced for Fourth of July

Among the things to do this year will be to have a picture made of your favorite mutt at the Hair Depot. Photos are $5 and proceeds will go to the Franklin County Animal Harbor as they proceed with construction of a new facility.
This year the Girl Scouts will be collecting donations for the Fireworks Show at Lake Cheston. They will continue the tradition of collecting the money in a fireman’s boot. Please consider giving generously, as donations make this possible.
All vendors must be local and prior authorization is necessary for setup and sale of any items. If you would like to be a vendor, please contact Birdie McBee at <birdiemcbee@yahoo.com>.
Look for local merchants on the 4th, such as Ivy Wild, Blue Chair, Julia’s and Crossroads Café, for exciting and delicious food choices.
July 4, 2013, is the 150th anniversary of the last engagement of the Civil War on the Domain. Be sure to visit the University Archives to see their collection of memorabilia.
Be watching the Messenger next week for the announcement of the Grand Marshall of the 2013 parade. See page 5 for more Fourth of  July information.

Friday Night in the Park Begins Tonight

Each Friday night, beginning June 21 and continuing through July 26, the Angel Park in Sewanee will be the place to enjoy friends, music, food and dance. At 7 p.m. each Friday, University Avenue will be closed to traffic, and the community will come together to enjoy the music in the Angel Park Pavilion from 8 to 10 p.m. Food, beverages and ice cream will be available from local establishments.
On Friday, June 21, from 8 p.m. to 9:20 p.m., Ben Ayers & Hillary Bevels will offer old-time, traditional and Celtic music. Guitarist Ben Ayers, a 2011 graduate of St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, is in the music program at MTSU. Hillary Bevels plays fiddle and is a two-time top-10 finisher in the Grand Master Fiddler Championships. The pair frequently perform at Tullahoma’s Celtic Cup.
From 9:40 p.m. to 11 p.m., Southern Proof featuring Patrick Greer will perform American, acoustic and alternative country music. To hear a preview of the songs, go to <https://soundcloud.com/southernproof>.
The Sewanee Summer Music Festival is scheduled to appear the next week, from 8 to 10 p.m., on Friday, June 28.
The Sewanee Business Alliance is an informal group of business owners and leaders in Sewanee that promote, plan and execute community and business projects to improve Sewanee’s image and strengthen the economic welfare locally. Angel Park is nearing completion, and many other projects are currently on the SBA planning docket. SBA is funded by community and personal donations. To learn more about or to become a member of the Sewanee Business Alliance, go to <www.sewanee.biz> or contact John Goodson at 968-1127.

A Little Bit of History: The Sewanee Steam Laundry

John Bordley has written a brochure about the Sewanee Steam Laundry—the former business, its buildings and the people who worked there. The brochure may be seen and read at the Crossroads Café and at IvyWild. Copies can be purchased at cost for $1 from Crossroads Café or from Bordley.
The brochure features a history of the laundry and a diagram of where each piece of equipment was and the people who worked at each workstation.
Bordley comments that one of the pleasures about working on the project was re-establishing acquaintance with James William Sherrill and Ina May Myers. Sherrill and Myers are two of Sewanee’s finest and most interesting citizens, and they took great pride in remembering and retelling stories about an institution where they worked.

University Wants to Rezone 450 Acres on the Domain

The University is seeking approval from the Franklin County Regional Planning Commission to rezone approximately 450 acres of the Domain from agricultural and R2 zoning to mixed-use. A map of the area under consideration is available at <leases.sewanee.edu>.
The University currently has two areas of campus in mixed-use zoning: downtown and Parsons’ Green, and the area around the hospital and Sewanee Inn.
Mixed-use zoning recognizes what already exists in this 450-acre area of campus: a mix of buildings that are residential, educational, and commercial. Mixed-use zoning means the University will no longer be required to seek a variance for new construction. This zoning will provide more buildable areas, allow more flexibility in design, and will bring some existing buildings into compliance with zoning regulations. It will also correct residential zoning for areas that are currently zoned “agricultural.”
Leases within the rezoned area will not be affected as long as they continue to be used as they are now. The Franklin County Property Assessor’s office has confirmed that each property will be assessed according to its use, and as long as a lease continues to be used as a residence, the assessment will be the same.

"Finding God in a Bag of Groceries"

by Sadie Shackelford, Messenger Intern

“Writing is my way of processing the world,” said Laura Lapins Willis, editor of the Sewanee Mountain Messenger and former director of Sewanee’s Community Action Committee (CAC) for 10 years. Willis’ book “Finding God in a Bag of Groceries,” a spiritual memoir about her experience with the CAC, was released this month by Nashville’s Abingdon Press. The book not only shares an assortment of stories about the relationships and memories Willis acquired during her time at CAC, but helped the author find resolution within her own spirituality. 

“I started the book wondering whether I should go to seminary and become an ordained Episcopal priest,” she said. But as the book developed, “It became more about the food pantry and less about me,” said Willis. While she decided to set aside the question of ordination, Willis found a different way to answer God’s call in her life, through writing and service. 

Writing this book gave Willis the opportunity to revisit the moments she experienced God at CAC and to reconsider the challenging situations she encountered. “I learned to be more vulnerable than I ever imagined, and I learned that I could find God in unlikely places,” said Willis. 

The book started as a series of diary entries the author wrote every night after returning home from CAC during 2000–2010. Over time, she realized she had enough material to compile a book. In 2009, Willis attended a writing workshop in Santa Fe for artists interested in the intersection of art and faith; faculty there encouraged her to begin her book. 

Willis was careful to obtain permission from all the people whose stories are in the book before publication because of the intimate details of each story. One of the goals of the book for Willis was to illuminate the often overlooked aspects of rural poverty. 

Advance readers of  “Finding God in a Bag of Groceries” who have written in support of the book include Desmond Tutu, Archbishop emeritus of Cape Town; Franciscan priest and social justice activist Richard Rohr; and Becca Stevens, founder of Magdalene and Thistle Farms; as well as Pulitzer-Prize winning author Jon Meacham; Samuel T. Lloyd III, priest-in-charge at Trinity Church, Boston; and Bill Danaher, former dean and associate professor at Huron University College, London, Ontario.

Willis left CAC in the fall of 2010 to become editor and co-publisher of this newspaper. She and her family have lived in Sewanee since 1991.

A part of Otey Parish since 1974, CAC has cared for families in the greater Sewanee community by providing food and financial assistance for medical, dental, housing and electric bills.

“They came for the food, but I also think they came for the love” said Willis of CAC’s regular clients. 

Of her time at the CAC, Willis concluded, “I may have been helping the people who came to CAC, but all along they were also helping me.”

For more than 35 years, the CAC has provided food, financial assistance, and educational support for persons in the greater Sewanee community. 

The CAC is located in the Yellow House at 258 Lake O’Donnell Rd. Phone 598-5927. The CAC is open 9–11 a.m. each weekday and 1–3 p.m. on Wednesdays. Interim director Betty Carpenter is available 9–11 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, or by appointment.

It Is An “Apple Pie Fourth of July”

This year’s Sewanee Fourth of July will be an “Apple Pie Fourth of July … An All-American Fourth.” Events begin with the street dance by the Hair Depot  and the Sewanee Market at 8 p.m., Wednesday, July 3. The celebration continues with the flag raising in Abbo’s Alley at 8 a.m. on Thursday, July 4, until the last of the fireworks and music dies away over Lake Cheston that night. This year’s Fourth of July will be filled with sights and sounds as only Sewanee can do it.
Arts and crafts, food, music, the cat show (meow), the mutt show (ruff, ruff), face painting, the dunking booth, children’s games, carillon recital, pie- eating contest, cake-decorating contest, airplane rides, Civil War re-enactors and so much more. And it would not be a Sewanee Fourth of July celebration without the best parade ever. Start thinking about that perfect spot for parade- and people-watching.
The full schedule, plus parking information and the shuttle route will be announced soon, as well as information about local businesses offering special deals, volunteer help and other assistance for planning the perfect day.
Want a Fourth of July like no other? Join your friends and neighbors for an “Apple Pie Fourth of July” in Sewanee!

See pages 8 and 9 for more information on Sewanee Fourth of July activities, including the Arts and Crafts Fair, the parade and the new pie-eating contest.

SSMF Opens 57th Season

The 57th season of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF) begins at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 22, in Guerry Auditorium with an orchestra concert performed by the Festival Orchestra. The orchestra includes SSMF faculty artists, guest artists and students all under the baton of the SSMF Conductor-in-Residence Octavio Más-Arocas.
The repertoire includes Bates’ “Mothership,” Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 “The Emperor” (guest pianist: Michael Mizrahi, assistant professor of music, Lawrence University), Ravel’s “Ma mere l’oye” and finally Ravel’s “Bolero.”
The SSMF welcomes 200 students from all across the world, including 32 states, five international countries and 131 different institutions. More than 30 concerts will be performed during the summer music festival, including faculty chamber concerts, student chamber concerts, the “Hike to a Concert” performed on The Course at Sewanee, student recitals and the Symphony Sunday events featuring full student orchestras and renowned guest conductors.
Tickets are for sale on the SSMF website and at the door prior to each performance. Ticket prices are $12 online and $15 at the door. Some events are free and open to the public.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to <http://ssmf.inticketing.com>.
The first week’s concert list is on page 10.

Butterfly Census

On Saturday, June 22, University biology professor David Haskell and local fantasy author David Coe will lead Sewanee’s 17th Annual Census of  Butterflies. The census will be sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), and will be similar in both method and purpose to the Christmas bird counts organized by the National Audubon Society. Should it rain on June 22, the count will be held on Sunday, June 23.
All who are interested are welcome to participate in the count. There is a $3 per person administrative fee mandated by NABA. The count will begin at 9 a.m. at the Lake Cheston pavilion and will continue until late afternoon. Participants are invited to remain with the census organizers for as long as they wish. Those wishing to join the count later in the day can do so at the Memorial Cross at 1 p.m.
Participants in the census will count not only the number of  different species seen, but also the number of  individual butterflies. The final count will be sent to NABA so that the results can be tabulated with other censuses taking place throughout the continent in the weeks leading up to and following the Fourth of July holiday. Last year’s count in Sewanee turned up 24 butterfly species and a record 414 individual butterflies. In past years, counters have seen as many as 34 species of butterfly.
Participants in Sewanee’s count need only a sharp eye, a bit of patience, and a willingness to learn. No prior knowledge of butterflies is necessary. A pair of  binoculars is recommended, although not required. It is suggested that participants wear long pants and sturdy shoes, and that they bring along insect repellent. Participants should also bring a snack and something to drink. Those who intend to continue counting through the afternoon should bring lunch.
For more information, contact Coe at 598-9775.

Garden Club Offers Summer Tour

The Sewanee Garden Club invites members, area residents and interested gardeners to tour four lovely local gardens and then join the group for a light luncheon on Friday, June 21. Carpools will gather at 9 a.m. at the Hair Depot parking lot on Highway 41A across from Taylor’s Mercantile. Carpooling is recommended because some homes have limited parking.
The group will tour the gardens of David Landon, Janet Graham, Mesha Provo and Betty Barton Blythe. Lunch will follow at Flournoy Roger’s home. Please RSVP for driving directions and addresses. There is no set charge for lunch, but donations are appreciated; these help fund the club’s projects, including the Shakespeare Garden on campus and gardening at the Bridge at Monteagle nursing home. For more information or to make reservations, contact Judy Magavero at (931) 924-3118 or email <jmagavero@blomand.net>.

School of Letters Reading

Author Richard Tillinghast will be the Sewanee School of Letters reader at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 19, in Gailor Auditorium. A reception will follow the reading. The reading is sponsored by the School of  Letters and Friends of the Library.
Tillinghast is the author of 10 books of poetry and three non-fiction books. His most recent books of poetry are “The New Life, 2008, Sewanee Poems” (with lithographs by Joseph Winkelman) and “Selected Poems,”  as well as “Dirty August,” translations from the Turkish poet Edip Cansever, in collaboration with his daughter, Julia Clare Tillinghast. For their Cansever translations, the father-daughter team received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
In 2008 Richard also published “Finding Ireland: A Poet’s Explorations of Irish Literature and Culture,” winner of ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year award for Best Travel Essays. He has received grants from the American Research Institute in Turkey, the Irish Arts Council, the British Council, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, was awarded an Amy Lowell Travelling Fellowship from Harvard, and was a 2010–11 Guggenheim Fellow in poetry. Tillinghast has also been awarded the James Dickey Prize for poetry and the Cleanth Brooks Prize for creative nonfiction. He is currently finishing a travel book, “Istanbul: City of Forgetting and Remembering,” which will be published in the UK in November.
A native of Memphis, Richard graduated from Sewanee in 1962 and went on to get his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard. He taught at Harvard, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Michigan until his retirement in 2005, a teaching career that included a visiting professorship at Sewanee in 1979–80. In 2008 he was given a honorary D.Litt. degree by his alma mater, and read part of his long poem, “Sewanee When We Were Young,” at the Commencement service that year. He lived in Ireland for five years, but has recently returned to this country and has bought a house in Sewanee, where he plans to spend part of the year.

Breslin Tower Dedication

The Sewanee Ringers and The University of the South will dedicate The Paul Engsberg Room in Breslin Tower, at noon, Monday, June 17, in honor of the band’s founder and first tower captain, Paul E. Engsberg.  Former associate director of admissions and University registrar, Engsberg was the inspiration for obtaining the eight Whitechapel bells given by Spencer and Donne Wright  in memory of Mrs. Wright’s parents, Mildred and George Bentley.
The Rev. Melissa M. Harley, associate University chaplain, will officiate at the dedication, which will be attended by Mrs. Engsberg; daughter, Elizabeth; and son, Towson; friends and colleagues.
After the dedication, the band will ring six of the Bentley Bells for the guests. Following the ringing, a tea reception will be held in Convocation Hall.

Campus Summer Programs Set to Open

Both the Sewanee School of Letters and the College summer session begin in the coming days: the School of Letters on June 9 and the summer session of the College on June 10. Together, the programs will bring almost 130 students to campus for the next six weeks.

The Sewanee School of Letters is a graduate program offering master’s degrees in literature, creative writing, and theology and literature. Students typically attend for four or five summer terms to earn an M.A. or an M.F.A. degree. Fifty-six students are expected to be in Sewanee for the School of Letters this year, learning from 10 faculty members.

The summer session of the College offers an opportunity for students to take special courses not normally available, helps students gain additional credits toward degree completion and provides incoming freshmen a chance to adapt to the academic demands of college. Seventy-one students are enrolled in the summer session; classes meet Monday through Friday.

Another wave of summer programs will begin in two weeks, with the openings of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival (June 22), and the Bridge Program in Math and Science and first session of the Sewanee Summer Seminar (both June 23).

Friday Nights in the Park in Sewanee Start June 21

Each Friday night, beginning on June 21 and continuing through July 26, the Angel Park in Sewanee will be the place to enjoy friends, music, food and dance. At 7 p.m. each Friday night, University Avenue will be closed to traffic, and the community will come together to enjoy the music in the Angel Park Pavilion from 8 to 10 p.m. Food, beverages and ice cream will be available from local establishments.

“Last year was so successful,” said John Goodson, president of the Sewanee Business Alliance. “Everyone loved coming out on Friday evenings and really enjoyed the parties. The music this year will vary and consist of all local bands. Even the Sewanee Summer Music Festival will be performing.” 

This year, organizers expect Friday Nights in the Park to be a great series.

“We really learned a valuable lesson about starting too early,” Jimmy Wilson, owner of the Blue Chair Café and Tavern, said about last year’s series. “The sun sets later, and the temperature drops around 8 p.m. It makes it much more tolerable for the patrons and musicians to begin the event later this year.”

Friday Night in the Park will include music from genres including bluegrass to blues, rock and roll to folk. The artists performing will be announced each week and begin playing at 8 p.m. This is a kid-friendly event, with a safe “no traffic zone.” Friday Nights in the Park is made possible by local sponsors and members of the Sewanee Business Alliance. Sponsors will be announced once the SBA finishes gathering all of them. More sponsors are still needed to cover expenses (see letter on page 2).

“There has been great progress on Angel Park since last summer. More than 30 benches were installed this winter and are available for engraving for a $2,000 donation. These are prime real estate, and we only have a limited number of them,” said Goodson. 

Sewanee Business Alliance members will be available at each Friday Night in the Park event so that guests can buy a brick or a bench to support the park. Goodson hopes that bricks already ordered will be in place for the kickoff on June 21.

The Sewanee Business Alliance is an informal group of business owners and leaders in Sewanee that promote, plan and execute community and business projects to improve Sewanee’s image and strengthen the economic welfare locally. Its first program was the SHOP SEWANEE campaign. Angel Park is nearing completion, and many other projects are currently on the SBA planning docket. SBA is funded by community and personal donations. To learn more about or to become a member of the Sewanee Business Alliance, go to <www.sewanee.biz> or contact Goodson at 968-1127.

Hudgins Reading Wednesday

Author Andrew Hudgins will open this year’s Sewanee School of Letters readings at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 12, in Gailor Auditorium. A reception will follow the reading.

Hudgins will publish two new books this month. “A Clown at Midnight” is his ninth collection of poems. “The Joker” is a memoir of his career as an appreciator of, thinker about, and irrepressible teller of jokes. Hudgins’s eight previous books of poetry include “Saints and Strangers” (a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize), “After the Lost War” (winner of the Poets’ Prize), “The Never-Ending” (finalist for the National Book Award), “Shut Up, You’re Fine: Poems for Very, Very Bad Children” and “American Rendering: New and Selected Poems.” 

He is also the author of two collections of literary essays, “The Glass Anvil” and “Diary of a Poem.” His work has been supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship, Stanford’s Wallace Stegner Fellowship, and Princeton’s Arthur C. Hodder Fellowship, and honored by prizes from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the Texas Institute of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. 

Hudgins is Humanities Distinguished Professor of English at the Ohio State University. He has often served on the faculties of the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the Sewanee School of Letters.

Community Fund of the South Cumberland Awards New Grants

The Community Fund of the South Cumberland Plateau (CFSCP) announced its second round of grants on June 2 at the Heritage Center in Tracy City. 

According to Scott Parrish, CFSCP co-chair, the new grants total almost $65,000. The selected group of recipients submitted proposals that best meet the charge of promoting progress with initiatives to help solve community problems and build on community strengths, he said.

“We believe that the seed money provided for these exciting proposals will result in measurable changes on the Plateau—in economic growth, education, arts, recreation, healthcare, job training, and community building,” said Parrish. The following are the 2013 grant recipients:

Blue Monarch—$10,000: This 10-year-old organization provides a residential program for women and their children who seek to rebuild lives that have been damaged by abuse, addiction, and incarceration. The land and facilities for the program were purchased with a $980,000 loan. This grant is in support of a final push to clear the remaining balance of $101,000 and enable Blue Monarch to undertake new plans to expand its services.

Grundy County Health Council—$3,685: Seeking to improve the health of local residents and decrease health disparities in the community, the Grundy County Health Council is focused on obesity and diabetes prevention through educational programs and physical activities. This grant provides equipment to support the monitoring of weight, blood pressure, and blood glucose in the Reversing Diabetes program. 

Grundy County Historical Society—$6,464: A grant from the CFSCP last year provided for the renovation of a Farquhar Locomotive Boiler that once powered a saw mill in Beersheba Springs. This supplemental grant will enable the Historical Society to complete an outdoor exhibit area for the boiler.

Grundy County Youth Leadership—$3,050: Providing monthly programs for selected high school sophomores and juniors to train them for leadership roles in the county, Grundy County Youth Leadership introduces the class to local and state government, economic opportunities and the natural assets of the South Cumberland State Park. This grant provides seed money to reactivate the program with broader community support.

Mountain Goat Trail Alliance—$15,000: The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance’s work on a long-term project to extend the walking and biking trail along the old rail line from Cowan to Palmer will be advanced by this grant, which will provide for the purchase of additional railroad property in Grundy County.

North Elementary School —$14,750: In partnership with the Grundy County Health Council, North Elementary in Altamont is developing a quarter-mile walking track around the school perimeter. This grant will complete the funding needed to build the track, which will serve as a safe environment for walking and running for students and the local community. 

S-Double-A Ranch—$8,500: Created to assist uninsured individuals and their families to overcome substance abuse through interaction with horses, art, music and other faith-based recreational activities and 12-step programs, the S-Double-A Ranch will use the grant funds to establish a recycling program. The recycling program will generate revenues to support the recovery programs at the Ranch, while encouraging a strong work ethic, creating an outlet for community service hours mandated by the courts, and fostering environmental awareness.

The June 2 event also included a slide show of the progress of the first recipients, who were awarded a total of $101,673 last November, as well as scenes from “The Other Side of the Mountain” GrACE production, a student musical based on a book by May Justus and funded by the CFSCP. 

Sewanee Inn Names Manager

Charlestowne Hotels has been chosen by the University to manage the new Sewanee Inn and Conference Center, which is currently under construction.

The upscale development will consist of a 43-room inn and conference facility set on the site of the former Sewanee Inn and overlooking the newly restored golf course. According to Jeremy Thompson of Earl Swensson Associates Inc., the architectural style of the Inn will be a combination of Southern vernacular with collegiate Gothic elements inspired by various buildings around the University campus. 

The exterior will be clad in indigenous Crab Orchard fieldstone and most of the interior millwork will be from trees harvested on the Domain. 

The Inn will be adjacent to a nine-hole golf course [which will open on Sunday, June 9] that has had an extensive renovation by renowned golf course designer Gil Hanse and features long vistas beyond the edge of the plateau. The temperate climate will be conducive to the enjoyment of generous amounts of exterior event space, with terraces located off many of the guestrooms and public areas.

The building structure will consist of two wings: one comprising the lodging accommodations and the other a conference center, which are connected by a grand lobby featuring a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and large heavy timber trusses in the peaked ceiling. Two lounges will be accessible from the lobby, one downstairs with a cozier setting and fireplace, and one upstairs which will open to the lobby below. Also located off the lobby will be a well-appointed bar area and restaurant with seating that can spill out onto a landscaped exterior terrace.

The conference center wing will contain a grand ballroom with wood flooring, wainscot and exposed beams, as well as a gathering hall with direct access to an exterior terrace along the golf course with a large decorative fireplace. The lodging wing will consist of two floors of guest rooms with balconies on the north side overlooking the golf course and natural scenery. Double gabled bays will give the Inn façade a pleasant sense of rhythm and a visual identity, and decorative brickwork complemented by shakes and slate roofing add to the texture and detail. There will also be several parlors at the end of the wing that will feature wrap-around decks and additional gathering space for guests.

The new management, Charlestowne Hotels, is a full-service hospitality management company offering innovative, yet proven, expertise. Founded in 1980, the firm is a “Top 100” ranked hotel management company by the industry’s four leading trade journals, as determined by a combination of properties, rooms and revenue under management.

Charlestowne Hotel’s portfolio includes the many properties in the Charleston, S.C., area; the Palms Hotel at Isle of Palms, S.C.; the Oceanfront Litchfield Inn at Pawleys Island, S.C.; Sea Trail Golf Resort and Convention Center, Sunset Beach, N.C.; Planters Inn at Reynolds Square, Savannah, Ga.; Glenstone Lodge in Gatlinburg; and Rustic Inn Creekside Resort and Spa and The Lodge at Jackson Hole, Jackson, Wyo.

Earl Swensson Associates, Inc., an architectural firm headquartered in Nashville, provides design services of architecture, interior architecture, master planning and space planning to hospitality clients for hotels, convention centers, resorts, restaurants, spas, golf clubhouses, performing arts venues and arts-related community facilities. Among the projects they have worked on are the Hotel Hershey, the Broadmoor and the Gaylord Opryland. Additionally, they worked on the award-winning Hutton Hotel in Nashville, a boutique hotel and recipient of the USGBC Green Star Award and Urban Land Institute Excellence in Development Award.